From Ho Hum To Woohoo
‘Rekindling Spirit – Moving Through Malaise’ is the title of a seminar I’ll be delivering next week to a group of financial folks as part of their upcoming professional development event.
Every time I work with this material, I’m reminded of the wide range of options we have for getting ourselves unstuck – shifting our experience from ‘ho hum’ to ‘woohoo’.
As part of the program, participants will be invited to reflect on their past – from childhood pursuits and skills sets to bold imaginings and deferred dreams.
The idea is to take a look backwards at things we used to enjoy and interests we may have discarded along the way – to see if there is something that might add a spark of joy and excitement to our lives today.
Along this vein, yesterday I helped my octogenarian Mom hang a newly framed cross-stitch that she recently completed. It was and is an epic piece of work.
Mom first started working on this piece of handwork in the 1980’s. As life grew busy in other areas, she set it aside – for several decades. During the mid-pandemic spring of 2021, in search of a pursuit that would keep her engaged, Mom dug it out and started working on it again.
For a few months, every time we spoke, she would share an update on how the stitching was going – both the successes and the frustrations. At so many points through the summer and fall, it would have been so easy to stash it away again. But that did not happen.
Mom kept stitching and finished working on the piece just before Christmas. This spring we arranged to get it stretched, matted and framed.
It looks fantastic, and so does the smile on her face!
What a satisfying experience it can be to have set something aside, reclaimed it later, and carried it through to successful completion. I admire Mom’s talent and her perseverance.
What are the chances there is something in your world worth circling back to and picking up once more? And how might it shift your experience from ‘ho hum’ to ‘woohoo’?
Tags: appreciation, delight, inspiration, malaise, motivation, Pat Katz, Patricia Katz, perseverance, perspective, reclaiming interests, rekindling spark, rekindling spirit, spark, success
What a great lesson. Thanks mom!
Yep – she was a real inspiration on this project!
Beautiful piece of cross stitch!! Your Mom should be proud of finishing it and keeping it for so many years!!
I too have many UFO’s (unfinished objects) such as cross stitch, knitting and sewing projects. Life gets busy and those creative activities seem to be the first that are put aside – it’s quite sad really.
I am preparing to move (downsize) and will need to make decisions about which UFO’s to keep – I hope I decide to keep all of them and make the time to rekindle that creative side of my life, I used to really enjoy it. Thank you for this article.
Hi Kim. Yes, indeed, life can get busy. And projects can be cast aside. Good luck choosing the ones to take with you to your next chapter. All the best with your plants to rekindle your creativity. It’s so worthwhile! Cheers, Pat
Thanks for the reminder, Pat:
Several months ago, I started a memoir of sorts, then left it and haven’t worked on it for quite a while. Malaise had set it. I’m now determined to get back at it, even if it ends up to be just for my children and grandchildren (or just for me).
Hope your Easter went well,
Linda
Good luck with the memoir, Linda. It will be such a gift to your offspring – and I’m guessing a magical experience for you, too. Gotta love a good stroll down memory lane. All the best, Pat